Diving apparatus.



D. K. KARAMANOS.

DIVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1913.

1,068,433, Patented July 29, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3W Dememas Ii lmmmanas,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DEME'I RTOS KARAIMEANOS, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

DIVING ArPAnn'rUs.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 1, 1913. Serial No. 764,953,,

7 '0 allwhom it may concern Be it knownthat I, DEMETRIOS K. KARA- MANOS, a subject of the King of Greece, residing at Council Bluffs, in the county of Pottawatt-amie and State of-Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Diving Apparatus of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to diving apparatus and has particular reference to a diving shell or casing, bymeans of which one or water in proximity to a sponge bed or col-.

ony, the operator oroperators therein, by-

- suitable means, gatheringthe sponges and placing them in a collecting receptacle or compartment without leaving the shell or casing of the apparatus. s

A further object of this invention is to provideapparatus-of the above mentioned character which isso constructed that the same. may be vertically tilted or swung in all directions or. rolled, upon its lower end, when submerged, by means operated from the interior thereof, whereby the operator or operators therein will be brought 'into suitable proximity to the sponges or other material to be gathered.

A further object of this invention is to provide novel means whereby the operator may pass from the interior of 'the main shell or casing of the apparatus, equipped with a diving suit or armor, into the water, and return to the interior of the shell or casing, without. the entrance of the water into the same.

other objects and advantages of this i'n--' vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying "drawings, forming part of this specification and in which. like numerals areemployed to designate like parts throughout the same, Figure 1 is a central vertie sectional view through the apparatus, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1,-and, Fig. 3 is a. detail viewof. the balancing means and support therefor.

In the drawings, wherein for the sake of illustration is shown a.j,pref.erred embodiment of my invention, the,numeral 3 desig,-.

nates a preferably cylindrical shello'r casmg, having its upper. endclosed by means of a tapered. head 4,, which decreases in' diameter upwardly, as shown. cable 5 is attached to theupper end of the,

head 4, by means of which the entireapparatus is raised and lowered. The main;

Patented July 29, 1913.

A rope or shell or casing 3 isprovided with port holes .70

which are spanned by sections of glassl5',

as shown. The lower end of the main Shelli or casing 3 is ,closed by a normally inclined,

floor or bottom 6, portions of -which are.

adapted to assume a horizontal position. when the apparatus is tilted.

Disposed below the floor or bottom 6 tapered water collecting shell or casing 7, decreasing in diameter downwardly,-, as shown. At its upper large end this water isa.

collecting shell 7 is provided with an upstanding annular flange 8, which is rigidly .CUIIHOCtGd with the floor or bottom fi, as

shown. An annular collecting receptacle or (ompartn'icnt 10 occurs between the'floor or bottom 6 andv the upper end of the water collecting receptacle 7. looting, receptacle or compartmentlt) is sur-' rounded by a ring 11, rigidly connected to the water collecting shell 7 and the' floor or The annular col- Y bottom. 6, the same being provided with shown. Attached to these bay-windows are flexible hand-arm casings lti, formed of rubher or the like and extending outwardly and downwardly from the same. The operator \yvit-hin the main shell or casing 3, inserts his hands and arms within the handarm casings 16, whereby he may open the door 13, gather the sponges or the like, insert thexniwithin the collecting r eptacle or compartment 10, and subsequent y 'clos'e the door 13, without leaving the main shell 3.

60 the dressing roo1n19, thcsame' having conthe lower contracted or pointed end of the water collecting shellor casing 7, whereby the same may swing inall directions or roll. To cause this swinging or rolling movement and to properly control the same, I provide within the main shell or casing 3, a circular track 17. which is suitably supported and upon which is longitudinally 'movably 4 mounteda suitable number of weights 18.

It is thus seen that when these-weights are shifted adjacent one of the bay-windows 14, the entire apparatus will be tilted in that direction and held in such tilted position until the weights are again shifted. As 15 more'clearly shown in Fig. 3, each weight 18 is provided with a book 18;, which ongages the track 17, and carries a clamping bolt 19, whereby the weight may be locked to the track in adjustment at desired nosi" tions.

The numeral 19 designates a dressing room, which is air tight, the same being provided with an outer man-hole 20, which is completely closed by a detachable door 21 and an inner man-hole 22, which is completely closed by a detachable door 2t.

A drain pipe 24 leads intothe lower end of the dressing room 19, and is provided therein with a cut-off valve 25, the opposite end of thedrain pipe 24- leading into the flange 8, to discharge therein the water from the chamber l9,- upon the valve. 25 being opened. A pipe 26 serves to establish com munication between the-upper end of the water collecting shell or casing 7 and the -lower end of the main shell or basing 3,

whereby. as the water is being fed into the shell or casing7, the 'air contained therein will pass through thepipe 26' into the main shell or casing 3. The water collecting shell or casing 7 is provided exterio'rly thereof with an outlet valve 27, to empty the same when the entire apparatus is elevated above the water. In order-that this collecting shell or casing may be emptied while the same remains submerged, I provide a pump 28, arranged upon andabo've the floor or nection with an air supply pipe or hose extending into the'main shell or casing 3 and ponne'cted therein with a manually operatgd air pump 33. vWhen it is desired that the operator should leave the main shell.

' or casing 3 while the same is submerged. he

opens the door 23 and enters the dressing room 19,-the operator within the main shell or casing 3 again closing the door 23. The operator within the dressing room 19 now puts on the diving armor 31, whi the op-- erator within the shell or casing operates- .the pump -The operator having on the diving armor opens the 'door 21, whereby the water, the collecting shell or casing may be emptied by opening the valve 27Vor the same may be emptied while submerged, by the operation ofthe pump 28.

Air is supplied to the interior of the main shell or casing through a pipe or hose 34-, the same being provided at its free end with a valve Connected with the pipe 34 is a branch pipe 36, disclmrging into an ice'containing box 37 having its side walls perforated whereby the air is cooled before passin into the shell or casing 3 A drain pipe 38 is connected with the imperforate boti om end of the ice box 37,'a-nd, discharges into the lower end of the shell or casing 3, as shown. -The foal air is removed from the interior of the main shell or casing through the outlet pipe 39, the pipes -34 and 39 extending to the surface of the water and having connection with suitablepumpsor the like. V

The numeral 40 designates .a telephone whereby communication may bejhad with persons at the surface of the water, the telephone circuit extending within a conduit 41.

The mimeral 42 designates an electric lamp disposed within the dressing room 19, the same being connected in a suitable circuit 44, it being understood that any suit- 1 15 able number of electric lamps (not shown) may be connected in the circuit 44; and disposed within the main shell o'r casing.

The numeral 45 designates cables, detachably connected with the main shell or ms ing, as shown at 46, and carryinga t. their lower ends hooks 47, disposed adjacent the hand-arm casings 16, whereby sponges or the like may be connected with the hooks 4:7 and subsequently elevated to the surface of the water. i

The numeral &8 designates a suitable tool,

1 which. is detachably connected with the main shell or casing adjacent the hand-arm casings 16 The operation of the apparatus is as followsz-The main shell or casing above the level of the water, the doors 21. and are opened, whereby the operators may pass therethrough into the main shell or casing. The door 21 is now closed. subsequently to which the apparatus is lowered l or submerged in the water, until the lower contracted end of the water collecting shell or ca ing 7 engages or rests upon bottom. The main shell or casing is lowered into proximity to the sponges or other material to be gathered, subsequently to which the same may be tilted in the desired direction, whereby the operator by using the handarm casings it), may gather the material and store the same within the compartment 11. This tilting is accomplished by moving the weights l8 longitudinally of the track 17, toward that side of the in the direction of which the same is to be tilted. It is obvious that the clamping bolts 19 will securely lock the weights 18 in adthe track justment at desired posit'ons upon 17. hen it is desired that the operator leave the main shell or casing 3 while the same is submerged, he passes opening the operator who remains within the shell or casing 3 closing the door 23. The operator within the chamber 19 now puts on the diving armor, air being supplied to him from the pump 33, Which is now being operated. the diving armor now opens the door 21. whereby the chamber 10 becomes filled with water. and the operator is allowed to pass therefrom through the opening 20, Upon the return of the operator within the chamber 19, he closes the door 21, Subsequently to which he opens the valve 25, allowing the water within the chamber 19 to pass into the shell 7 through pipe 24. The door 23 being now removed the operator within the chamber l9 can pass into the main shell or casing \Vhen the apparatus is submerged, the collecting shell 7 may be emptied of the water by operating pump 28, or when the same is elevated above the water level, by opening the valve 27. Air is upplied to the pipe 34 mcuts, and passes out hereinabove described.

It is to be understood my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same. and that various changes in the. shape, size and arrangement of parts may that the form of joined claims.

lTaving described my invention, I claim 1. In apparatus of the character described, the combination with a main shell, of a contracted support connected with the lower end thereof and serving as a pivot shell or casing 3, t

"through the The operator equipped with I and associated ole. through i my be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subupon which the shell swings in a vertical 3 being plane, and balancing means operated from the interior of the main shell for tilting the l same in the desired direction.

l 2. In apparatus of the character described. the combination with a main shell adapted to be vertically tilted when on bottom. of balancing means connected therewith and adapted to be operated to tilt. the main shell in the desired direction.

1 In apparatus of the character dct scribed, the combination with a main shell 1 provided with a contracted lower end servl ing as a pivot upon which the main shell swings in a vertical plane when the same is on bottom, of a track connected with the main shell, and a weight adjustably mounted upon the track to be moved longitudinally thereof.

l 4. In apparatus of the character de- 1 scribed, the combination with a substantially cylindrical main shell provided with a contracted lower end serving as a pivot upon which i the main shell swings in a vertical plane when the same is on bottom, of 1 a substantially horizontal longitudinally curved track connected with the main shell and being substantially concentric with relation thereto, and a weight mounted upon l the curved track to be moved longitudinally t thereof. 3. Tu apparatus of the character described, the combination with a substantially cylindrical main shell provided with a contracted lower end serving as a pivot. upon which the same swings in a vertical plane upon bein on bottom, of a substantially circular orizontal track suitably mounted within the lower portion of the main shell in concentric relation thereto, a suitable number of weights mounted upon the track to be moved longitudinally there of, and means to lock each weight to the track in adjustment at a desired posit-ion.

(l. Tn apparatus of the character described, a. main shell, a tapered shell spaced t from and rigidly connected with the lower yend of the main shell for forming a com- .partnient therebetween, hand-arm casings connected with the main shell and extending extcriorly thereof suitably near the comi partmeut, and means to tilt the main shell l in the desired direction. y 7. Tn apparatus of the character described, a main shell provided near its lower end with a circumferential material receiving compartment, and hand-arm casings connected with the main shell and extending outwardly thereof and being suitably near the compartment.

8. Tn apparatus of the character described, the combination with a main shell, of a tapered water collecting shell disposed below and connected with the lower eru 1 thereof, a dressing chamber formed within the main shell, a valved conduit establishing communication between the dressing chamber and the water collecting shell, and means to tilt the main shell.

9. In. apparatus 01' the character described, the combination with a main shell, of an air supply pipe leading into the same, and means for receiving the air discharging from the supply pipe and cooling the same and subsequently discharging it into the 10 main shell.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DEMETRIOS' K. KARAMANOS.

Witnesses C. L. PARKER, B. P. FISHBURNE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

